Snow skis often employ lifters, a type of binding support and attachment layer, in order to increase leverage and to raise the ski boot above the snow level to prevent "boot out" during high angled turning of contoured skis. Additionally, lifters provide vibration damping when comprised of a vibration damping material.
Common problems associated with lifters include the addition of weight to the ski, loss of performance at slower speeds and loss of torsional rigidity, due to the vibration damping qualities of the lifter, that results in decreased responsiveness. Prior art lifters have addressed the lack of torsional rigidity by orienting a rigid layer adjacent the exterior surface of the lifter core. While partially successful, the above technique still does not adequately increase response. Other attempts to increase the rigidity of lifters resulted in heavier lifters that increased skier fatigue.
The subject invention addresses the above limitations by surrounding a fastener retention layer, that increases torsional rigidity, with a lifter core that facilitates vibration damping. By encasing the fastener retention layer inside the lifter core, the core now contributes to the binding pull values. This allows the lifter to be lighter, since the fastener retention layer need not be as heavy due to contribution from the core. Lowering the fastener retention layer below the outer surface of the lifter core reduces the bending stiffness effect of the fastener retention layer on the ski, since the fastener retention layer is nearer the neutral axis of the lifter.